Well, I am on my way. Week one down. I am doing the Weightloss plan from Running for Mortals. My days are out of order, but I did my 60 minute walk last night. I am a little stiff today, but nothing I can't work through. Technically I think I am supposed to have a rest day today, but I am going to walk 30 minutes. My rest day by default Wednesday as that is the night I have night class. I think next week I will try to do my long workout on Tuesday so I have Wednesday to rest after.

I just was notified that my class is beginning the planning for our 20 year class reunion next summer. (They have never been this organized before. Our fifteen was planned one month ahead of time!) It will be in conjunction with my hometown's summer festival in August. There is a 5K as part of the festival. Is it unrealistic to make it a goal to run that race in 9 months if I am only walking now?

thanks,

pam

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start!John Bingham

My high school class wasn't organized either - at least I thought it wasn't. But then I was "found," and a classmate said they'd been having 5-year reunions "forever" and everyone always wondered where I was. Next year will be our, ahem, 45th reunion.

I'm still stuck on week 4. That last half mile of running - yuck! So to keep running fun, I do all but that last part. This week, so far, the runs have been better and easier, so maybe this or next week, I'll actually finish week 4!

Eileen (61, a tad round, never an athlete until Jan '07; took about 4+ months to finish C25K the first time; usually finish last or next-to-last in 5K races)

You are just a touch younger than my mom (don't take that the wrong way). I wish I could get her out running. She has your kind of spunk. Keep it up. I'll be coming back to you for suggestions when I get stuck!

pam

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start!John Bingham

pam, and if you're having your 20th reunion, you're a tad younger than our son and a tad older than our daughter : ) Both of them are runners, and it was our daughter who encouraged me to get off the couch. (I had become way comfortable after retiring from 30+ years of teaching.) She and I have been in two races together. She can do a 5K in 30 minutes yet stays with me in the back of the pack so we can cross the finish line (50 minutes or so) at the same time.

I have never really been an athlete and my mom is even less one than me. I am going home this weekend to visit. Maybe I can get her to go walking iwth me this weekend. It would be fun to do a race with her. My dad always was the athlete, but his knees are getting bad and now he gimps just walking. It's hard to see them getting older. My dad and I have biked in a race together. That actually was a lot of fun. I'm not sure he could do that without a lot of pain anymore. Mom is holding together a lot better. Maybe there is something to being an adult onset athlete that mom hasn't already done all the damage to her body that dad did to his.

pam

PS I too am a retired teacher, but I only made it for 8 years. You have my undying respect!

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start!John Bingham

My knees hurt too, but celebrex pretty well takes care of the pain. : ) And I have health problems, type 2 diabetes the main concern. Running helps the diabetes and other health issues. Someone once asked me rhetorically to notice people who have knee replacements: NOT the athletes usually, but the ones who stay on the couch. I have to remember to stretch and do a variety of "weight-machines" up at the Y to help limber me up.

My dr is young, mid-30s or so, and runs marathons; rather than telling me to give up running, she tells me to keep at it and run more regularly. She did tell me to stick to a treadmill as much as possible to avoid injuries (I guess, falling down). So I watch TV either up at the Y or here at home (my hubby bought us [me] a nice treadmill, put it in back of the couch in our family room), and I watch Today or Morning Joe on msnbc while running.

But when knees do give out, biking is a good alternative; so is swimming, but my body in a swimsuit isn't a pretty sight. ; )

I started C25K in July and 9 weeks later I was running 30 minutes straight; not 3.1 miles but 30 min straight. I then practiced for a few more weeks and ran 3.1 miles a few times; a few of those times I did walk some of it. I had scheduled my first 5K as soon as I started my C25K because I knew I would be motivated to keep working out. I am 49; never been real active; I have walked some for the past few years. I am also 100+ pounds overweight and I ran my first 5K this past weekend; now I am not very fast but I did run the whole thing. You can do it!! Just keep training and try the 60 sec jogs; it does really work up to running 30 minutes.

Michael- I too have been having ankle issues. For the last week or so, when I've started my runs, I've had a sharp "twinge" at the back of one or both ankles. After I run for a while, it goes away, but every so often during the day, I'll feel it a little again. Nothing bad enough to swell or cause major problems. So I googled ankle pain, and I might have a little Achilles Tendon Bursitis. I am going to work on increasing my stretches for that region. If it keeps up, I'll see my doctor.

I just completed week 8 of C25K, in hot, humid conditions in Florida, while on vacation. Still doing 3 miles in about 52 mins. Can't wait for "cool running" back home.

Today was the day for the Halloween 5k, and I RAN THE WHOLE WAY! I didn't walk one single step, I am so happy! My time went down 44 seconds from my last 5k in September (I walked/ran that one), but I expected it to, because I was going to jog it or else!

And it didn't even discourage me when I looked over and was being passed by a cluster of grapes...LOL

"Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started."